Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood Had Cancer Scare

8/6/2017 7:50 PM ET

Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood recently struggled to overcome what he called a "touch of lung cancer." The rock icon revealed his health scare with the Mail on Sunday, telling the U.K. paper that he had an operation to take out part of his lung.

Wood found out about the cancer during the series of physicals the Stones had in May anticipation of an upcoming tour of Europe. Tests discovered the cancer, but showed that the disease had not spread from his lung. An operation removed the infected area.

Wood said he is OK now, but noted that he gets checked out every three months.

Still, Wood said it was a stressful few weeks.

"There was a week when everything hung in the balance and it could have been curtains, time to say goodbye," Wood admitted to the Mail on Sunday.

He added: "I was bloody lucky but then I've always had a very strong guardian angel looking out for me. By rights I shouldn't be here."